Latham to Introduce Measure Forcing Congress to do its Job

BILL FREEZES PAY & FUNDS FOR CONGRESS IF REQUIRED YEARLY BUDGET NOT ENACTED 

DES MOINES, IOWA, Jan 11 - Iowa Congressman Tom Latham is seeking the input of Iowans regarding the title of legislation he will introduce next week that would cut pay and operating funding for lawmakers if Congress fails to enact a federal budget.

Latham's legislation would prohibit the disbursement of funds for salaries and expenses from personal, committee and leadership offices of both the House and Senate if a concurrent budget resolution is not passed by May 15 each year - which is already required by law but not enforced. He will formally introduce the legislation soon after the U.S. House of Representatives convenes for the second session of the current 112th Congress on January 17.

The idea for the legislation came from conversations he has had with Iowans frustrated by the fact that the U.S. Senate has failed to enact a budget blueprint for over two years.  The Congressional Budget Act of 1974 calls for enactment of a budget resolution by both houses of Congress by April 15th of each year.

“For Iowa’s families, farmers and small business owners, living within a budget is a fact of life,” Latham said. “It’s a way of setting priorities and determining what’s essential and what isn’t.  A budget takes on even greater importance during difficult economic times.  But the federal government hasn’t operated under a budget for two years.  Instead, lawmakers have shown more concern about the politics of taking tough votes than taking care of one of their most basic governing responsibilities.  It’s absolutely unconscionable that Congress has shirked its budgeting responsibility at the same time it has run up $15 trillion in debt.  It’s time for Washington to do the basic job that they were elected to do - first to enact a budget blueprint and then to use that budget to live within its means, just like Iowa families, farmers and small businesses.” 

Congressman Latham has not yet chosen a title for the legislation, and he has decided to turn to Iowans for their ideas because the idea for the legislation came from his conversation with Iowans.  He will kick off an effort to get support for the legislation and solicit ideas for a title of the bill during an appearance on Jan Mickelson’s program on WHO Radio Wednesday morning.